Flexible tube



Oct; 17,. 1939. J. P. RATAY FLEXIBLE TUBE Filed April 4, 1939 101m! B401. 0111;: y,

Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFIC 2.176.109 FLEXIBLE TUBE John Paul Ratay, Newark, N. J.

Application April 4, 1939, Serial No. 266,016 In France April 19, 1938 9 Claims.

The invention relates to tubes for holding plastic materials.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive tube of this type, which is primarily constituted by cellulosic materials, preferably regenerated cellulosic sheet material such as Cellophane.

Because of the expense of metal tubes. many efforts have been made to produce tubes of pa- 1 per, cellulosic derivatives or the like. None of these. however, have been satisfactory. and the use of metal tubes has continued.

One of the diiflculties in the use of non-metallic tubes heretofore has been that the connection of the neck and closure member to the body of the tube has been attended with considerable dimculties. A primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple arrangement in which the shoulder and closure connection or m neck are integral with the material of the body of the tube, so that there is no problem presented in connecting them thereto, and so that they cannot be pulled off from the body. A further object of the invention is to provide 28 a laminated tube body, formed primarily of cellulosic sheets, but which includes also one or several thicknesses of paper, of metal foil and the like, which are separated from each other; particularly. the invention looks to the incorpo- 30 ration of these sheets without use of an adhesive and solely by the use of heat and pressure exerted on the body of the tube.

Another object of the invention involves the formation of the neck and thread of the tube u by heat and pressure at the same time that the laminations of the tube are secured together, in a seamless fashion. An additional object of the invention is to provide a tube of this type which has sheets of 4 cellulosic derivatives both on the inside and the outside, to protect the materials within the tube against chemical reaction and to protect the tube itself against humidity and other undesirable influences. The continuous inner layer, with 5 the integral shoulder portion, avoids the formation of any sharp corners or projecting seams, so that the tube is stronger and more satisfactory. The provision of a layer of metal prevents the loss of the contents of the tube by evaporation.

'50 A layer of paper serves to reinforce the tube.

Furthermore. one of the objects is to provide on the outer paper layer suitable printing. de-

signs and the like, which may be seen through the outer layer of cellulosic derivative. and yet so are protected thereby from any damage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tube the bottom end of which can be sealed by heat alone. without requiring special apparatus or methods for crimping such as are re-- quired in the case of metal tubes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tube which is inexpensive, and is actually less in cost than the metal tubes commonly used.

The invention also provides a tube of this type having a shoulder portion which is as flexible as the body of the tube, so that all of the material can be squeezed out of the tube.

Further objects and advantages will appear more fully from the following description and the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof. v

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in horizontal section a partially completed tube according to the invention;

t lljig. 2 is a similar cross section of a finished Fig. 3 is a cross section of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the tube in vertical section.

As shown in the drawing, the body of the tube layer 2. an intermediate layer 4, and an outer layer 6. Between the layers 2 and 4 is arranged a layer 8 of thin metal foil, and between the layers 4 and 6 is arranged a layer ill of paper.

These layers are rolled upon each other in the manner shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the inner layer 2, the intermediate layer 4 and the outer layer 6 are all substantially in the form of a spiral, and that there is a space between the outer edge of the metal layer 8 and the inner edge of the paper layer Ill, although each of these layers extends slightly more than once around the tube. Although the ends of each of the layers 8 and i0 overlap. these overlapping ends are separated by the Cellophane or other cellulosic derivative.

The application of suitable heat and pressure causes the layers of the cellulosic derivative to fuse together, as at l2, I4 and I6. Figs. 2 and 3, along narrow lines extending longitudinally of the tube. The metal and paper layers are thus held between the cellulose layers without the use of any adhesive or other material for securing them to the layers.

Fig. 3 shows the formation of the neck and bottom of the tube. The metal layer l and the paper layer to extend up into the shoulder portion I! of the tube, but terminate at the top of 2 2,175,100 the shoulder portion and at the beginning of the neck portion 20. The neck portion 20 is then formed merely by the three overlapping sheets of the cellulose material, which are subjected to heat and pressure so as to weld them into a single body. At the same time, pressure is exerted by a die to form the screw threads 22, by which a cap may be secured on the neck. The neck thus formed is strong and hard enough to withstand any ordinary use.

The layers 8 and III of cellulose also terminate a short distance from the bottom of the tube, and the projecting bottom portion 24 is formed by a fusing together of the three Cellophane layers. It is obvious that by bringing together 1 the opposite walls of this bottom portion and subjecting them to heat, preferably heat and pressure, the bottom of the tube may be closed.

While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A flexible tube having a wall formed of at least three layers of a cellulosic derivative, a layer of metal between two of such layers, a layer of paper between another two of such layers, said layers of cellulosic derivative being fused together along narrow lines only extending longitudinally of the tube.

2. A flexible tube having a wall formed of at least three layers of a cellulosic derivative, a layerof metal between two of such layers, a layer of paper between another two of such layers outside of the metal layer, the ends of each of said layers of metal and paper overlapping each other respectively, and said layers of cellulosic derivative extending between said overlapped ends, said layers of cellulosic derivative being fused together along narrow lines only extending longitudinally of the tube.

3. A flexible tube having a wall formed of at least three layers of a cellulosic derivative, a

layer of metal between two of such layers, a layer of paper between another two of such layers outside of the metal layer, the ends of each said layers of metal and paper overlapping each other respectively, and said layers of cellulosic derivative extending between said overlapped ends, said layers of cellulosic derivative being fused together along narrow lines only extending longitudinally of the tube adjacent said overlapping ends.

4. A flexible tube comprising a body of closed cross section formed of at least three layers of cellulose derivative, a sheet of metal between two of the layers, a sheet of paper between another two of'the layers, said cellulose layers be-- ing fused together along lines extending longitudinally of the tube, a shoulder portion and a neck portion, said neck portionbeing a fused cellulosic mass integral with said sheets of cellulosic derivative, and said metal and paper sheets terminating short of said neck portion, said neck portion having screw threads therein for receiving a cap.

5. A flexible tube comprising a body of closed cross section formed of at least three layers of cellulose derivative, a sheet of metal between two of the layers, a sheet of paper between another two of the layers, said layers being fused together along lines extending longitudinally of the tube, a shoulder portion, saidmetal and paper sheets extending into said shoulder portion, and a neck portion, said neck portion being a fused cellulosic mass integral with said sheets of cellulosic derivative, and said metal and paper sheets terminating short of said neck portion, said neck portion having screw threads therein for receiving a cap,

6. A flexible tube comprising a body of closed cross section formed of a spirally wound sheet of cellulose derivative having at least three layers, a sheet of metal between two of the layers, a sheet of paper between another two of the layers, said layers being fused together along lines extending longitudinally of the tube, a shoulder portion, said metal and paper sheets extending into said shoulder portion, and a neck portion, said neck portion being a fused cellulosic mass integral with said sheets of cellulosic derivative, and said metal and paper sheets terminating short of said neck portion, said neck portion having screw threads therein for receiving a cap.

'7. A flexible tube comprising a body of closed cross section formed of a spirally wound sheet of cellulose derivative having at least three layers, a sheet of metal between two of the layers, a sheet of paper between another two of the layers, and on the outside of said sheet of metal, said layers being fused together along lines extending longitudinally of the tube, a shoulder portion, said metal and paper sheets extending into said shoulder portion, and a neck portion, said neck portion being a fused cellulosic mass integral with said sheets of cellulosic derivative, and said metal and paper sheets terminating short of said neck portion, said neck portion having screw threads pressed therein for receiving a cap.

8. In a device as claimed in claim 7, said metal and paper sheets terminating short of the bottom end of the tube.

9. A flexible tube composed of body, shoulder and neck portions, the body portion having a wall formed of at least three layers of a cellulosic derivative, a layer of metal between two of such layers, a layer of paper between another'two of such layers, said layers of cellulosic derivative being fused together along narrow lines only extending longitudinally of the tube, said layers all extending into the shoulder portion of the tube.

JOHN PAUL RATAY. 

